There is no worm in tequila. It’s in mezcal, a spirit beverage distilled from a different plant. And it’s not actually a worm, but a butterfly caterpillar.1
One of Harvard College’s first buildings was a brewery. The college built it so that students would have a good supply of beer to drink in the dining hall.2
Abraham Lincoln sold liquor before becoming president. His liquor store license is dated 1833. It’s on display in the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History in Bardstown, Kentucky.3
British wine isn’t the same thing as English wine. British wine is made from imported grape juice concentrate. On the other hand, English wine is made from grapes grown in England. And Welch wine is from Wales-grown grapes.4
The body or lightness of whiskey is primarily determined by the size of the grain from which it is made. The larger the grain, the lighter the whiskey. For example, whiskey made from rye, with its small grain size, is bigger or fuller-bodied. On the other hand, whiskey made from corn, with its large grain size, is much lighter.5
What’s the difference between whiskey and whisky? (Other than one includes the letter “e.”) They both refer to alcohol distilled from grain. But whiskey is the usual spelling in the U.S., especially for beverages distilled in that country and Ireland. On the other hand, whisky is the spelling for Canadian and Scotch distilled alcohol.6
Maryland and the District of Columbia decriminalized underage drinking. This makes consumption of alcohol by those under age 21 a civil rather than criminal offense. As a result, police must issue tickets rather than arrest offenders.
Thus, young adults under 21 no longer carry a criminal record for the rest of their lives.8
Chicha is an alcohol beverage that people have made for thousands of years in Central and South America. The process begins with people chewing grain and spitting it into a vat. An enzyme in saliva helps change starch in the grain to sugar, which then ferments.10
Residents of some towns were absolutely convinced that alcohol caused all crime. Therefore, as Prohibition was about to begin, they sold their jails!11
Most members of Congress publicly supported Prohibition and its enforcement. But most of them drank alcohol. Many relied on the best-known bootlegger in Congress. He was George Cassiday, “The Man in the Green Hat.”13 In fact, hypocrisy was rampant during Prohibition.
The human body creates alcohol constantly. It can’t live without making it. The process is called endogenous ethanol production. And people don’t wait until their 21st birthday to make their own alcohol.14
Temperance followers thought they were “alcohol free.” But they weren’t. The human body produces its own supply of alcohol naturally. And we do it 24/7.16